Aspire To Glory makes his second start in seven days this afternoon in the Class 6 Handicap (20:30) over a mile at Leicester. 

Read our Raceday LIVE Preview below and join us ahead of the race for all the build-up and live updates from the track with the team and Aspire To Glory's lucky owners for the day across our social channels on X (@coral) and Instagram (@coralofficial).

Raceday LIVE Preview

Aspire To Glory continued his improvement on the turf last week, when finishing a solid second at Ripon. There was a point in time in the race where it looked as though Aspire to Glory was going to go past and claim victory, but he just couldn't quite catch up to Crown's Lady, who shot to an early lead and never gave it up. 

Following that run, Aspire To Glory was assessed by the handicapper, and put up one pound, which is incidentally the amount he was put down by after his previous run. Jockey Darragh Keenan was also surprised to learn his handicap mark after working him on the gallops in Newmarket recently as he said "he gave me the feeling that he was a better rated horse". 

WATCH: Darragh Keenan reflects on Aspire To Glory's performance at Ripon

Darragh Keenan is back onboard Aspire To Glory again today, looking to score his first win on our gelding at the third time of asking. Our three-year-old's last victory was back in January, in a seven furlong contest on the all-weather at Lingfield, but he has hit the frame twice since then, finishing third in the subsequent race following that victory, plus last week's second place at Ripon.

The latest going report from Leicester Racecourse stated the ground is Good to Firm, and the forecast for the rest of the day is dry and sunny, with plans to water the ground prior to racing, so there should be no ground queries for Aspire To Glory.

WATCH: Raceday message from Alice Haynes

Aspire To Glory's Owners for the Day

As winners of the Owner for the Day competition, 10 lucky Coral Racing Club members have been given the chance to enjoy an exclusive owners experience for Aspire To Glory's run at Leicester this afternoon.

Each winner, along with a guest of their choosing, will receive free entry to Leicester Racecourse, including exclusive access to Owners & Trainers areas. They'll have the opportunity to meet Aspire To Glory and the Alice Haynes team, plus get to head into the parade ring before the race begins to be amongst all the other owners, trainers and jockeys. And last but by no means least, each winner will get to take home an equal 10% split of any prize money won by Aspire To Glory.

Today's Class 6 contest is worth £6,000 in total, with the winner set to scoop £3,140.40 for their lucky owners.

2nd: £1,473.60 | 3rd: £736.20 | 4th: £368.40 | 5th: £183.60

Trainer and Jockey Statistics

Alice Haynes has been in outstanding form this week, sending out three winners since last Thursday. She's saddled a further four horses that have placed in that time span, including Aspire To Glory last week. Leicester isn't a course that Alice Haynes sends many horses to, having only trained 41 runners there in her whole career, providing three winners. 

Darragh Keenan jumps onboard Aspire To Glory for the third time today, after having ridden him to his second place finish last week. Outside of that, he's won one race and placed in a further two in the last fortnight. In terms of his record at Leicester, he's scored four times and placed on a further 19 occasions from 61 rides.

Timeform | Verdict

A few with chances but the vote goes to ASPIRE TO GLORY who arrives in very good nick and can now go one better than at Ripon last time out and gain a deserved second success of 2024. Salamanca Lad is next on the list on the back of his good recent third at the same track ahead of handily-weighted Monks Mead.

Today's opposition

• Monks Mead has won twice previously, with the latest of those coming at Chelmsford in November. He finished a half length behind the winner two starts ago before following up with a sub-par performance at Lingfield. George Bass takes the reins on him for the first time today.
  
  
• Salamanca Lad is winless for new trainers Daniel & Claire Kubler, with his last victory coming on his penultimate start for Richard Fahey. He was rated 64 that day and drops to that mark for the first time since, having finished third when rated a pound better earlier in the month. David Egan jumps onboard at Leicester this evening.
  
  
• Hey Big Spender hasn't been victorious in any of his three runs, with his best effort coming two starts ago where he finished ninth. He's been given an opening mark of 57 by the handicapper and makes his first start off that number this evening. Billy Loughnane rides him for the first time tonight.

   20:30 LEICESTER – LATEST BETTING HERE   

We hope you enjoyed reading today's Raceday LIVE Preview. Don't forget to tune in just before 20:30 to watch Aspire To Glory's next run for the club live on the Coral Sports app.